Staff Correspondent:

A total of 53 ready-made garment factories are yet to pay Eid bonuses on Friday (March 28).

According to a report published by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), out of 2,107 operational factories (1,769 in the Dhaka region and 338 in the Chattogram region), 99.53% have paid February wages, 83.20% have paid partial or full wages for March, and 94.78% have disbursed the Eid bonus, while 0.47% are still processing February wage payments.

Meanwhile, 149 factories are yet to pay partial or full salaries for the month of March.

Although some factories were busy with urgent shipments, payment completion is expected by 29 March, with nearly all factories finishing payments by then.

BGMEA Administrator Mohammad Anwar Hossain expressed his gratitude to the garment sector’s entrepreneurs for their dedicated efforts to ensure the timely payment of wages and bonuses, despite facing challenges, according to a press release issued on Thursday (March 27).

According to the release, following BGMEA’s request, the government took advance measures, instructing banks to release incentive funds. This move enabled entrepreneurs to make payments for February wages, partial/full March wages, and festival bonuses without obstacles.

The release of funds, particularly for small and medium factories first, and then larger ones, ensured that no significant disruptions occurred in the garment sector regarding wage and allowance payments this year, said the release.

In a bid to reduce traffic congestion on highways during the Eid holidays, BGMEA has instructed factories to grant holidays to workers in phases, a process that began on 26 March. It is expected that all workers will leave for their Eid holidays by 29 March, added the release.